Repeating air gun



Nov. 7, 1950 E. E. CARTER REPEATING AIR GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1946 Nov. 7, 1950 E. E. CARTER REPEATING AIR GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb 8, 1946 (/7 770/11 qys Nov. 7, 1950 E. E. CARTER REPEATING AIR GUN 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 8, 1946 2; ve afar w W 6 I M M I @Hwwimu ww. UH H .H@

Patented Nov. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REPEATING AIR GUN Eddie E. Carter, Rochester, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1946, Serial No. 646,368

4 Claims. i

This invention relates to guns, and more particularly to air guns operated by springs, and adapted to discharge either one or a plurality of pellets successively from the device, in response to each single pull of the trigger.

A further object of the invention is to provide a magazine air rifle so constructed that it will not be necessary to supply a store of compressed air for operation of the rifle.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide an air rifle powered from a coil spring which may be tensioned by a single operation of a conveniently located lever. Release of the spring in response to trigger action causes ejection of a shot, for each trigger action, until a total of five shots have been ejected, or as an alternative operation the trigger may be maintained in actuated position, whereupon the rifle will continue to eject shot until a total of five have been ejected, without further action on the part of the operator.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide an air rifle in which loading of the shot is automatic and takes place in response to spring urging, rather than by gravity, to assure positive loading action in all attitudes of the rifle,

It is still a further object of this invention to provide an air rifle of the character above described which shall be so constructed and arranged as to lend itself to economical manufacture, and of such simplified construction as to enable ready assembly and disassembly for repair and replacement of parts, as required.

Still further objects of this invention will become evident upon study of the following specification when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference are applied to the same parts throughout the several figures, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the rifle embodying my invention, illustrating the appearance thereof when completely assembled;

Figure 2 is a vertical section taken along a longitudinal axis of the rifle and illustrating various of the operating mechanisms of the gun in assembled relation;

Figure 3 is a section taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken along a longitudinal axis of the barrel of the rifle, and illustrating particularly the shot loading and feeding mechanism;

Figure 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of ,a detail Figure 9 is a plunger device, illustratedin side elevation, for ejecting shot from the rifle;

Figure 10 is a view in perspective of a mechanical detail associated with the invention; and Figures 11 to 14 inclusive are perspective views of certain levers associated in the firing mechanism' of the rifle, and illustrated in assembled relation, in Figure 2 of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail I represents a gun barrel, having a forward sight 2 secured thereto in customary position. The stock of the rifle is indicated by the numeral 3, and may be constructed of Wood or of metal, if desired. Secured to the stock 3 and intermediate between the stock 3 and the barrel l is located the shot ejecting mechanism, denoted generally by 4 and located within the metal housing 5. Lever 6 serves to cook the rifle'or to condition it for firing upon pulling of the trigger 1, the lever B being suitably cut away adjacent the trigger l to form a trigger guard therefor. I

Referring particularly to Figures 5 to 8 inclusive which illustrate the shot loading and feeding mechanism and the structure of the barrel of the rifle, it will be evident that It] represents the outer barrel of the rifle in the shape of a long hollow thin walled cylinder, and that, located axially of the cylinder I!) and spaced therefrom by a pair of annular members i! and I 2 is a further long hollow thin walled cylinder l3 which corresponds to the bore of the rifle and provides a passage for ejected shot. 7

While the annular member ll performs no function except its spacing function, the member {2 provides a relatively complex structure to assist in the feeding of shot to the bore I 3 and retaining of each shot in the bore in position to be ejected upon suitable Violent actuation. The member i2 comprises in the space betweenthe inner wall of the barrel in and the outer wall of the bore i3, and located under the bore, inthe normal horizontal attitude of the rifle, a chamber M in the form of a passageway for shot l5, said chamber turning upwardly at its rearward outlet to communicate with the bore l3, said bore l3 being provided with a small aperture 16 for this purpose. A plunger ll rides for a portion of its length within the forward end of a tube 22 constituting a magazine for pellets, and at a point adjacent its forward termination rides in a bearing provided in a lug l8 downwardly def pending from the bore l3. Secured to the plunger [1 at a point intermediate its ends, and. extending downwardly through a slot IS in the outer barrel I is a lug 20. Surrounding the plunger I1 and tending to separate the lugs I8 and 29 is a compression spring 2|, which exerts a constant pressure on the pellets or shot l5 tending to force said shot to the right in the magazine 22 and the chamber l4 and through aperture l6 into the bore 3.

The channel 24, illustrated in perspective view in Figure 7, consists of a channel having a fiat base 25 and two upstanding sides 26. One side 26 extends beyond the end of the base 25 in an ear 2'! having a pivoted connection to a strap 28 surrounding the bore |'3. At the end of the channel 24 opposite to the ear 2! is a catch 29. The channel 24, by virtue of the pivotal connection 28serves as a lock which may be opened, as shown in dottedoutline in Figure 5, for insertion of a magazine 22 loaded with shot, and thereafter closed to the position illustrated in full lines in Figure 5, whereby the said channel 24 will re-. tain the magazine 22 in position for shot to be fed to the firing chamber under the lever 39. To permit the removal and replacement of the magazine 22 the plunger 1 1 is retracted by pulling forward on the lug 29. After insertion of the magazine 22 and closing of the lock or channel 24 the lug 20 is released, whereupon spring 2| forces the plunger to the right, in Figure 5, and partially within the magazine 22 and the channel or lock 24 in proper position. Catch 29 may be pulled downwardly to open the channel or look 24.

After delivery to the bore l3 of each pellet by the pressure of succeeding pellets, which are themselves pressed by the spring 2| acting through the plunger ll, the said pellet within the bore I3 is retained against forward motion by means of the lever 39 which is spring pressed at one end by a spring 3|, and which pivots about a pin 32, said spring and pivot being located in a-chamber 33 formed in the annular member l2. The spring 3| is sufficiently powerful to overcome the force exerted by the spring 2| and permits only a single pellet to emerge into the bore I 3 at any one time and retains said pellet in position to be ejected from the bore by a normal firing operation, regardless of the attitude of the gun intermediate successive firings thereof.

The pellets are ejected from the bore l3 by a violent actuation of the plunger 49 which rides within the bore I3 and transmits its motion to the'pellet and also by the air pressure generated by rapid movement of the piston 4| within the chamber 4| said pressure being communicated to the pellet continually during its passage down the-bore l3. Upon withdrawal of plunger 49 air is drawn into the chamber 4| by the retraction of piston 4| and after withdrawal of plunger 40 rearwardly to a sufficient extent to uncover the aperture 6 a succeeding pellet feeds into the bore l3 and is secured by the lever 39 in position for a succeeding firing operation of the plunger 40.

The plunger 49 is impelled violently forward to cause expulsion or firing of a pellet l5 by the action of a latch 52 pivotally secured to the plunger 40 by means of a pin 45 and arranged and adapted to be struck at the tail end 46 thereof by a series of hammers 43 arranged about the periphery of a'cylinder 44. The plunger 49 at its rearward end is provided with and secured to a laterally extending member 41, said member 4'! comprising a pair of laterally extending ears 48 which ride in slots 49, 50, the slot 49 being formed in a wall of the housing 5 and the slot 59 being provided in a plate 5| which may be secured to the housing 5 by means of screws set in a plurality of apertures 52 in the plate 5|. The plunger 49 is restrained into its rear-wardmost position by the coil spring 53, which acts to return the plunger 46 to unactuated position ready for another operation after each pellet ejecting operation of the said plunger.

The latch 42 is spring pressed toward the drum or casing 44 by means of a bent spring 54 acting on lever 55 which is pivotally secured to the plate 5! 'by means of pin 56, the spring 54 extending from a pin 86 secured to the plate 5, in a loop over the upper surface of the lever 55. Pin 8? acts as a stop to prevent undue pivotal motion of the lever 55.

The internal gear sector 66 is secured t or made integral with the lever 6, and an operation of the said lever away from and to the stock 3 of the rifle causes a reciprocating angular motionof the sector about the stud 6| as a'pivot, the said stud being formed in the plate 5|, or secured thereto.

Movement of the gear sector 59 causes rotation of the gear 62, which is rotatable on the shaft 63,

screw 66, the other end of the said shaft'63 being provided with a shoulder 61, which is located eX- ternally of the wall 64 as is also the head of screw 66 with respect to the wall 65.

Rotatably mounted on shaft 63 is the cylindri cal casing 44 about the periphery of whic are located the ratchet-like hammers 43, and within the said casing 44 is located a helical spring Bl,

of extremely powerful construction secured at its.

internal extremity to the shaft 63 by means of a screw or rivet 6B and at its outer end to'the casing 44 by means of a pin 69 extending between the walls of the casing 44. The gear 62 is secured to the casing 44 by means of a spring pressed pawl 70, for actuation of the casing 44 by the gear 52 in one direction of actuation of the gear only, that is on the actuating stroke of the lever 6, the lever 6 and the gear 44 being free to move back to unactuated position without causing any movement of the drum or casing 44. Th hammers 43 are shaped after the manner of ratchetteeth to enable them to pass in one direction with re spect to latch 42 but to engage said latch in the opposite direction of travel. Actuation of the casing or drum 44 by the gear 62 serves to tighten the spring 61, said spring providing th force which is ultimately applied to the pellets or shot l5 for expelling same forcibly from the gun.

With the spring 61 under tension as a result of actuation of the lever 6, the drum or casing 44 is nevertheless restrained against movement by the latch member H having a latching shoulder 9| and pivoted on a pin 92. The said latch member is pressed against the peripheral surface of the drum 44 by means of a link 12, secured pivotally to both the latch H and a further latch l3, which is spring pressed by the spring 54 coiled about the pivot pin 15 upon which latch 13' is pivotally mounted, and having two protruding ends 16 and H, one end 16 pressing against the pin l8 secured to the housing 5 and the other end ll pressing the link 12. The latch 73 is secured by a hook formed in a draw bar 8| which is pivotally mounted on a pin 82 secured to the' trigger member 83. The draw bar 8| is spring urged into hooking e g e ment With the latch 13 by means of" a the compression spring 88, draw bar 8! is pulled to the right, in Figure 2, hook 80 exerting force on latch 13 which retracts latch H from behind the hammer 43 and permits the coiled spring to rotate the drumor casing 44. That one of the hammers or teeth which had been restrained by the latch H rotates violently through an angle of about 60 and then impinges on the tail 460i latch 42 which is subjected to the entire momentum of the casing or drum M and causes a violent leftward movement of plunger 40, causing ejection of a pellet l in a manner already explained. If the trigger should be retained in actuated position, the latch 27 will be retained out of the path of the teeth or hammers 43 and the above action will take place successively until the tension in the spring has become exhausted.

If on the other hand the trigger is released immediately upon being pulled, the release of the trigger will permit the latch H to return to contact with the periphery of the drum or casing 44, and enables said latch H to interrupt the action of the entire mechanismafter only a single shot has been fired.

Figures to 14 inclusive illustrate various parts of the device, certain features of which are described below.

Referring to Figure 10 of the drawings, apertures 56, and B7 in the plate 5! are providfor insertion of the pins 56, 865" and El respectively, and which extend rearwardly of the plate ill as seen in Figure 10. a r Referring to Figure 14 of the drawings, which illustrates the trigger l, 82 is a hole in which may be secured pin 82 and 85' a hole for pivotally mounting on the pin 85 about which the entire trigger structure pivots. Projection 9!! is encompassed by one end of spring 88 which provides a compressive force against which the trigger must be pulled, the other end of said spring 88 nesting in a small recess 89 in the stock 3 of the rifle.

In Figure 12 the hole 92 pivots on a pin 92 (see Figure 2 of the drawing) and in Figurei13 the hole 82" pivots on a pin,82 (see Figure 2) secured in the hole 82 of trigger member I.

It was mentioned supra that five pellets could be be ejected from the rifle above described and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, upon one actuation of the trigger of the rifle. It will, of course, be obvious that by increasing or decreasing the number of hammers 43 on the drum 44, that the number of shots could be increased or decreased, and further that with the structure exactly as herein described and illustrated, if the lever 6 were actuated a plurality of times before one firing operation, resulting in extreme tension of the spring 61, that man more than five pellets could be ejected from the rifle before a recocking operation would be again necessary. The pellets feeding mechanism is quite independent of the ejecting mechanism and, so long as sufficient pellets are available in the magazine, will continue to feed these pellets to the bore of the rifle into position for ejection.

What I claim is: 1

bore through which oneof a plurality of pellets may be projected at a time from a position in the rear of said bore, a plunger comprising a rod extending forwardly through the rear end of said bore, return-spring means normally retracting said plunger to a rearward starting position, said plunger rod having a pivoted trailing tongue, plunger actuating means for driving said plunger forwardly from its starting position against the resistance of said return-spring means so as to cause the forward end of said rod to move forwardly in said bore and project the pellet forwardly through said bore, said plunger actuating means comprising a rotary drum having a plurality of circumferentially spaced hammers on its periphery positioned in the path of the trailing end of saidtongue, said drum normally occupying a position in which the one of said plurality of hammers which is adjacent to said tongue is disengaged from said tongue, drive-spring means associated with said drum for rotating said drum in firing direction from said position so as to cause said adjacent one of said hammers to strike the trailing end of said tongue and thereby drive said plunger forwardly, cocking means comprising means for rotating said drum in the opposite direction so as to tension said drive-spring means, spring pressed pawl means normally engaging peripheral portions on said drum to retain said drum in said normal position and prevent'said drum from rotating in said firing direction after operation of said cocking means to tension said drive-spring means, and spring positioned trigger means operatively connected to said pawl means, said trigger means being arranged to be moved out of its normal position to retract said pawl means and thereb permit rotation of said drum in the firing direction for a distance between two adjacent hammers so as to flre one pellet through said bore and said trigger being arranged to be released to its normal position so as to reengage said pawl means with said drum and thereby preclude furtherrotationof said drum in the firing direction, said trigger means being adapted to be moved and retained out of its normal position and permit said drum to rotate in the firing direction so as to engage successive ones of said hammers with the trailing end of said tongue so as to produce burst-firing of a plurality of successive pellets through the barrel bore.

2. In a gun having a barrel including a bore through which pellets are adapted to be projected, pellet magazine means having communication with said bore for feeding pellets one at a time into said bore, a spring retracted plunger rod arranged to be operated forwardly in said bore from a starting position to project a pellet therefrom, said rod having a striking portion, and actuating means for operating said rod forwardly from its retracted starting position, said actuating means comprising a rotary drum having 7 at least two circumferentially spaced peripheral hammers, said hammers being engageable successively with said striking portion of said plunger rod as said drum is rotated in one direction whereby said plunger rod is operated forwardly by engagement of one of said hammers with said striking portion to project a pellet and permitted to return to starting position before the succeeding hammer can engage said striking portion, drive-spring means operatively connected to said drum for rotating said drum in said one direction,

cocking means for rotating said drum'in the opposite direction for tensioning said drive-spring means, spring pressed pawl means arranged to be engaged by one of said hammers whereby said 'drum is retained against being rotated in said one direction by said drive-spring means, and trigger means comprising a spring positioned trigger and means operatively connecting said trigger to said pawl means whereby operation of said trigger in one direction releases said pawl means from the hammer engaged thereby and permits said drum to be rotated in said one direction by said drivespring means and engage a succeeding hammer with the striking portion of the plunger rod.

3. In a gun having a barrel provided with a bore through which a pellet is adapted to be projected, a spring retracted plunger rod extending forwardly in said bore, a trailing tongue pivoted on said rod, and actuating means for driving said rod forwardly from its retracted starting position to project a pellet present in .said bore, said actuating means comprising a rotary drum having a plurality of peripheral hammers positioned in the path of the trailing end of said tongue, drive-spring means associated with said drum for rotating the drum in one direction to engage one of the hammers with the trailing end of the said tongue with sufficient force to drive the plunger forwardly in the barrel bore, means for tensioning said drive spring means, spring pressed pawl means positioned in the path of thehammers and engageable with one of the hammers to hold the drum against rotation in the said one direction by said drivespring means, said hammers being sufiicie'ntly circumferentially spaced around said drum to enable one of said hammers to strike and pass the trailing end of said tongue before the next hammer comes into engagement with said pawl means and permit said plunger rod to resume its retracted starting position, and trigger, means comprising a spring positioned trigger operatively connected to said pawl means, said trigger being arranged to be moved from a starting'position to an operated position so as to withdraw said pawl means from retaining engagement with said next hammer and permit said drum to rotate in said one direction and engage said next hammer with the trailing end of said tongue.

4. In a gun having a barrel provided with a bore through which a pellet is adapted to be rection to engage one of the hammers with the trailing end of the said tongue with suficient force to drive the plunger forwardly in the barrel bore, means for tensioning said drive spring means, spring pressed pawl means positioned in the path of the hammers and engageable with one of the hammers to hold the drum against rotation in the said one direction by said drivespring means, said hammers being sufiiciently circumferentially spaced around said drum to enable one of said hammers to strike and pass the trailing end of said tongue before the next hammer comes into engagement with said pawl means and permit said. plunger rod to resume its retracted starting position, and trigger means comprising a spring positioned triggerv operatively connected to said pawl means, said trigger being arranged to be moved from a starting position to an operated position so as to withdraw said .held in its operated position so as to maintain said pawl means out of engagement with successive ones of said hammers whereby said drum can continue to rotate in said one direction to engage successive ones of said hammers with the trailing end of said tongue to provide repeated projection of pellets through said barrel bore by said plunger rod.

EDDIE E. CARTER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 603,549 Bailey et a1. May 3, 1898 654,895 Huntley July 31, 1900 959,889 Searle May 31, 1910 962,223 Jeffery June 21, 1910 1,114,491 Lefever Oct. 20, 1914 1,347,433 Allen July 20, 1920 1,381,127 Lefever June 14, 1921 1,812,902 Russell July 7, 1931 1,824,503 Russell Sept. 22, 1931 1,887,916 Brewster Nov, 15, 1932 2,037,313 Duncanson Apr. 14, 1937 2,106,648 OConner Jan. 25, 1938 2,170,221 Stanley Aug. 22, 1939 

